


Performance

by neverwinter (KingPreussen)



Series: it takes a village [6]
Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Blood and Injury, Former Sex Worker Taako, Gen, Other, Protectiveness, Sex Work, Sex Worker Lup
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-13
Updated: 2017-05-13
Packaged: 2018-10-31 06:13:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10893399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KingPreussen/pseuds/neverwinter
Summary: Now Taako gathered some fresh clothes into his arms and pretended to be strong for his sister.---This kind of thing only happens once in a blue moon. Taako is never any better prepared.





	Performance

**Author's Note:**

> sorry its so short its a vent work while i work on the origin story for this series. one of my friends only does house calls and they vet their clients extensively
> 
> same notes apply + one reference to rape but no character has been raped
> 
> title from [splendid performance](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jW2O4Y6B4iA)

"Taako, I need help."

The call from the front door wasn't particularly loud or urgent, but Taako practically threw his pilfered spellbooks off his lap and stumbled into the larger main room. Lup had closed the door behind her and was fumbling with the chain lock. Her hair was a mess, the blonde streaked with red in some places, and Taako felt sick to his stomach.

He very gently touched her shoulder, and when she didn't resist, pulled her close to huddle against his chest. Then he locked the door securely and set an Alarm. "Let's go to the bathroom, bubeleh," he whispered. She nodded slowly.

While they weren't financially stable by any means, Taako always made sure to stock up on Medical Kits and Health Potions, and had enough supplies to see to Lup adequately. A hospital was out of the question, of course, both because of Lup's profession and the thousands of gold it was sure to cost to be seen to.

Lup was obediently and methodically pulling what was left of her outfit off, revealing bruises around her ribcage that looked distinctly like boot prints. Taako breathed deeply as he watched and checked for further injury. When Lup tried to lean over and turn on the faucet for the small bath tub, she stumbled, but Taako was quick to stabilize her and reach for it himself. "I missed you today, sis," he began to mumble as he helped her into the bath, "I think we're going to spend a while together until you're all healed up."

"I wasn't raped," she said, but it wasn't snappish or contradictory. Taako just nodded and began to smooth warm water over her arms and chest like he had when they were children. In reality, they were _just barely_ adults by Elven standards, but they had lived over a human lifetime. Lup shifted and tilted her head back enough for Taako to see the dark bruise forming around the left side of her mouth and the gash on her forehead that was leaking into her bleach-blonde hair. 

"I'm glad," Taako finally responded. He searched through the cabinet under the sink for a Health Potion and a small plastic bowl and set both on the rim of the bath. "Drink this, babydoll, and let me rinse your head." Lup uncorked the phial and knocked it back, and Taako was relieved to see her bruises fade from dark skin and the sluggishly bleeding gash start to close and scab.

When the water reached the middle of her chest Taako turned off the tap. Lup didn't ask for it to be hotter or cooler, but it was steaming gently around the two of them and she seemed more awake and aware than she had a few minutes prior. Taako cleaned her hair and face and then let her have her privacy for a little while.

He had to quickly pull himself together in their shared bedroom. Things like this never happened when Lup worked house calls but she didn't like having clients around Taako anymore for some shitty overprotective reason. The first time he watched her pull on her clear heels and shove a pair of panties and a strip of condoms in her purse at the front door in preparation for her night out, they had a brief argument; Taako had done sex work before, and argued he could keep quiet and out of the way while Lup worked like Lup did for him. Of course Lup pointed out that his specialty was cam work and not one-on-one contact with clients, and the fight escalated rapidly until Lup realized she was going to be late.

Her arrival home early that morning was greeted by copious tears from Taako, who had berated himself all night for what he said to her, hysterically afraid that it was going to be their last conversation. Lup just laughed at him and teased him about how his tears were ruining his makeup.

Now Taako gathered some fresh clothes into his arms and pretended to be strong for his sister. She never stopped being strong for him.

* * *

"Taako, I need help."

Adrenaline coursed through Taako's veins and he shot up from the couch where he was watching Top Chef with Angus. His apartment was comparatively massive to the last time he heard those words so he actually had to turn a corner to see Lup this time; she was just opening the door when he reached her and luckily her hair looked as blonde as ever. 

"Come on, bathroom," he said, closing and locking the door behind her while he wrapped his other arm around her shoulders. She started to shake like she was coming out of shock and Taako was just glad she found her way to his apartment. Lup's knees gave out underneath her and Taako gentled her to the floor and kneeled in front of her, still stroking her hair. He could Levitate her to the bath and clean her up in a moment.

He heard Angus step into the hallway and turn on the light so his Human eyes could make out whatever was going on. Taako couldn't bring himself to send Angus to his room so he turned and waved him over instead. Lup's eyes were covered by her frizzy curls but Taako could tell that she wasn't really seeing Angus walking toward her, no matter what she was looking at.

Taako shifted a bit so Angus could fit between him and his sister, and the childish, innocent, sunshiny smell of Angus' curls made Lup begin to cry. She latched onto Angus instead and he squeezed her right back, showing a strength of character Taako never saw before. "Hi Aunt Lup," Angus said softly, calmly. "I missed you today." A sharp pain dragged through Taako's heart and it was all he could do to hold his sister and son tighter.


End file.
